The Courage of Captain Plum

ost before the enormity of his offense in interrupting the king's justice dawned upon him. He was not

aught the flash of her eyes and the movement of her lips as he dashed himself into the crowd. And as he sped swiftly up the slope he considered himself amply repaid for all that he had done. His blood was stirred as if by the fire of sharp wines; he was still in a tension of fighting excitement. Yet no sooner had he fought himself clear of the mob than his better judgment leaped into the ascendency. If danger had been lurking for him before it was doubly threatening now and he was sufficiently possessed of the common spirit of self-preservation to exult at the spee

stopped and waited for th

inland. "Take a short cut for the point at the he

yes there was a look that told his unbounded gratitude. They were clear, fearless eyes, with the blue glint o

ou, Capt

for a long time. "If they loose the dogs there will be no time for the sh

gnaling their danger-assured him that he was right, and he followed close behind without question. A dozen rods up the path Neil turned into a dense thicket of briars and underbrush and for ten minutes they plunged through the pathless jungle. Now and then Nathaniel sa

on him now with another meaning, with a significance that slowly cooled the enthusiasm in his veins. He was sure that he was near the solution of the mysterious events in which he had become involved, and yet this knowledge brought with it something of apprehension, something which made him anticipate and yet dread the moment when the fugitive ahead would stop in his flight, and he might ask him those questions which would at least relieve him of his burden of doubt. They had traveled a mile through forest unbroken by path or road when Neil halted on the edge of a little stream that ran into a swamp. Pointing into th

"If they do they can't reach us through that slough." He leaned his rifle against the log a

lutionist and have my hiding-places. To-morrow-I will be a martyr."

niel, looking down into t

row I shall

yes there shone that which neither words nor smiling lips revealed, a reckless, blazing fury hidden deep

I shall kill him with this gun from under the w

"Marion-" He leaned forward e

er, Capt

stretched to the breaking point. He reached out, dazed b

came to you at th

was Ma

trang'

age flame and his face became suddenly terrible to look upon. There was hatred there such as Nathaniel had never seen; a ferocious, pitiless hatred that sent a shuddering thrill t

s voice. "Obadiah told Marion that help might come to us through you and Marion brought the word to me at the j

what? How?" A hundred questions seeme

you understand? I tell you t

nsion. "I am going to kill Strang, I tell you!" he cried ag

lderment still s

ked squarely into Neil's eyes. "No, I don't understand you. The councilor said that she-that Marion was Strang's wife. He told me nothing more than th

at him in a

-nothing?" he ask

ings and kept me on the trail, always expecting, always watching, and yet every hour was one of mystery.

poignant in its wretchedness that t

I thought you knew." The disappointment in his voice was al

both his own and his eyes betrayed more than he would have said. "I've got an armed ship

ce, Nathaniel with all the eagerness of the passion with which Marion had stirred his soul, Neil half doubting,

ing?" he asked again,

thi

t seen Marion-to

N

d to the log and sat down with his face turned in the directio

here recurred to him Obadiah's words at the temple, "If you had remained at the cabin, Nat, you would have known that I was your friend. Sh

ed that I should meet Marion, but I was a fool and spoiled his schem

ch he had become interested in Marion. He omitted the oaths but told of Winnsome's warning and of his interview with the Mormon king. When he spoke of the girl as he ha

like Marion," he said simply. "Aft

es

willing

-my men-

als to a great joy. He sprang to his feet and stood before Neil, his who

nger restraining himself. "Why are you going to kill Strang? Has he-

on Marion. She hates him as she hates the snakes in this sw

s if he had been th

rcing her into his

ago-the change came, and one day she told me that she had made up her mind to become Strang's wife. From that day her heart was broken. I was dumfounded. I raged and cursed and even threatened. Once I accused her of a shameful thing and though I implored her forgiveness a thousand times I know that she weeps over my brutal words still. But nothing could change her. On my knees I have pleaded with her, and once she flung her arms round my shoulders and said, 'Neil, I can not tell you why I am marrying Strang. But I must.' I went to Strang and demanded an explanation; I told him that my sister hated him,

d t

gged his

ill live to tell his wives who did the deed. After

Mar

y Strang! Isn'

use for the prophet's power ove

of the kingdom. That was last night-when you saw her through the window. Strang is madly infatuated with her beauty and yet he dares to go to any length without fear of losing her. She has become his slave. She is as completely in his power as though bound in iron chains. And the most terrible thing about it all is that she has constantly u

niel, sudden excitement flashing

all of a father's devotion it is Obadiah Price, and yet he swears that he knows nothing of the terrible influence which has so suddenly enslaved her t

ng what the prophet had said to him that morning. "Could

d him almos

are very old, Captain Plum, and they believe in the prophet and his Heaven as you and I believe in that blue sky up there. The day before I was arrested I begged my sister to flee to the

ed to Neil and drew forth his pipe and tobacco pouch. As he loa

ou would have made an awful fool of yoursel

exasperating coolness, st

in them. "Neil, I am ashamed of you! You have worried a devilish lot over a very simple matter. See here-" He blew a cloud of smoke over the other's head. "I've learned